In certain microscopic viewing applications, such as microscopic examination of chromosomes, it is necessary for the technician to view a relatively larger area of the specimen under a lower magnification power in order to locate a particular smaller area to be viewed, and then to switch magnifications and refocus in order to view the smaller area of concern under a larger magnification. Much time is wasted performing these manipulations, and it is quite inefficient and inconvenient for the technician to have to refocus the microscope after switching to a higher magnification.
Accordingly, it would be considered highly desirable to provide a split-image microscopic image display system and method having multiple magnification powers, and it would especially be desirable to provide such a system with the capability of simultaneously viewing and displaying on two monitors both the larger area of general interest and the smaller area of specific interest, and of interactively manipulating the microscope stage carrying the viewed specimen so as to center or otherwise position the specimen in the viewing field(s). Moreover, it would also be considered desirable to provide such a system with the capability of producing, on operator command, a hardcopy of the images displayed on either of the monitors (the high-power monitor or the low-power monitor).
In some applications, it might be desirable to provide such a split-image, multi-power microscopic image display system and method with a type of lens switching apparatus whereby lenses of varying physical characteristics can be manually and yet easily employed as the objective lens in the microscopic image display system and method. However, as mentioned previously, the technology of the prior art is such as to require a refocusing of the microscope each time a new lens is switched into place for use as the objective. Therefore, it is considered desirable to provide a lens switching arrangement wherein refocusing is not required each time a new lens is switched into position.
The following U.S. patents are generally pertinent to the present invention: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,527,719; 2,685,820; 2,699,092; 2,950,649; 3,030,861; 3,057,259; 3,353,891; 3,459,464; 3,488,104; 3,503,684; 3,525,803; 3,835,246; 3,871,741; 3,883,689; 3,895,854; 4,199,785; 4,218,112; 4,245,252; 4,440,475; and 4,546,771.